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Parmelee makes first appearance in two hole

5/3/13: Chris Parmelee bashes a two-run home run to right off Cody Allen to put the Twins ahead 6-5 in the top of the seventh

By Rhett Bollinger
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MLB.com |

MINNEAPOLIS -- Right fielder Chris Parmelee made his first start as the Twins' No. 2 hitter on Friday against the Red Sox and right-hander Clay Buchholz.

Parmelee took the two-hole behind leadoff hitter Brian Dozier with Joe Mauer being held out of the lineup with back stiffness. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he went with Parmelee because of his ability to see pitches. Parmelee ranks third on the team with 4.19 pitches seen per plate appearance behind Mauer (4.28) and Josh Willingham (4.25).

"He's not the prototype," Gardenhire said. "I'm not going to ask him to bunt or hit and run, but he can take pitches and is not afraid to see pitches. And if Dozier is on base, he can hook a ball through the hole, too."

Parmelee, who is hitting .204 with a .288 on-base percentage in 33 games, said he wasn't sure the last time he batted second, but estimated he hit in that spot twice in the Minors. Parmelee said he didn't plan to change his approach despite the move up in the lineup from his usual spot as the club's No. 7 hitter.

"My job today is to try and get on-base and knock in Dozier if he's on from the leadoff spot or any of the eight, nine guys," Parmelee said. "I'll just try to get on base for [Justin] Morneau and [Ryan] Doumit so they can try and knock me in."